Written Answers Friday 6 November 2009

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it has carried out to minimise opportunities for trafficking women into Scotland and Glasgow for sexual exploitation during (a) the construction phase of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and (b) the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to identify or ring fence resources specifically to prevent women being trafficked into Scotland and Glasgow for sexual exploitation during (a) the construction phase of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and (b) the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to identify or ring fence resources specifically to identify and support women already trafficked into Scotland and Glasgow for sexual exploitation during the construction phase of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is working closely with the police, other enforcement agencies and the UK Government to combat human trafficking generally.

  There is an element within the budget for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games which covers all aspect of security. A multi-agency group led by Strathclyde Police and including representatives from UKBA, Glasgow City Council, the Organising Committee and the UK Human Trafficking Centre is in place. This group will consider all potential security issues, including human trafficking for economic and sexual exploitation, associated with the Commonwealth Games, both during the construction programme and during the games themselves.

  In addition, there are existing arrangements which have been implemented following the UK’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. These include the provision of funding by the Scottish Government to support adult victims of trafficking and collaborative work with the UK Government and enforcement agencies to implement the National Referral Mechanism (the multi-agency approach to identifying victims of trafficking). These arrangements are designed to meet the needs of victims trafficked for any reason, including any trafficking associated with the Commonwealth Games.

Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people over 65 have been referred to each local authority under the terms of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not yet collected centrally. However, the first biennial reports on the exercise of the functions of adult protection committees are due to be submitted to Scottish ministers in October 2010. The Scottish Government is also working with COSLA to develop a survey on the use of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act since its enactment last year. Information from the survey will be available early in 2010 to provide an interim report in advance of the first biennial report.

Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an interim report on progress in implementing the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 will be produced.

Shona Robison: The first biennial reports from Adult Protection Committees are due in October 2010. In the meantime, officials are working with COSLA on a survey of local authorities to assess the impact of the act since commencement, including multi-agency working and prosecutions. I am happy to share the results of the survey with Parliament once they become available.

Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people caring for older people in care homes are made aware of section 1 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 with regard to the administration of antipsychotic drugs.

Shona Robison: Anyone authorised to make decisions on behalf of an adult with impaired capacity under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, as amended, must take account of the views of others with an interest in the person’s welfare. The act lists those who should be consulted whenever practicable and reasonable. It includes the person’s primary carer, nearest relative, named person, attorney or guardian (when in place).

  This principle is set out in the revised Code of Practice for part 5 of the act (which deals with medical treatment and research). The code was first issued in March 2008, and again (to NHS Scotland, its affiliates and care homes) in September this year, following the publication of the joint report by the Care Commission and Mental Welfare Commission, Remember, I’m still me, on the quality of care for people with dementia living in care homes in Scotland.

  The report highlighted the inappropriate use of medication, amongst other serious failings, in caring for older people with dementia. From this, we are developing a dementia strategy, to be published in April 2010, to ensure that the required improvements in dementia care are identified and addressed in a comprehensive way for the first time.

  Dementia is a priority for the Scottish Government. In taking forward the strategy, the use of medication and its management, including the use of antipsychotic medication, is one of the issues being addressed. Through time, the strategy will make a real difference not just to those with dementia, but also to their carers and families.

  Health Rights Information Scotland has recently published Caring and Consent which can be accessed at http://www.hris.org.uk/index.aspx?o=5099. This sets out, in plain English, carers’ rights to be involved in decisions about the healthcare of the adult they care for, including those who lack capacity.

Alcohol Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27050 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 September 2009 showing that alcohol-related deaths rates in the Western Isles, Moray and Edinburgh Central were 208, 195 and 226% of the UK average respectively, what assessment it has made of the impact that minimum pricing will have on alcohol-related death among the affluent population, given that according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation only six of the 1,301 20% most deprived data zones are in these constituencies.

Shona Robison: The response to question S3W-27050 indicated that 64 of the 73 Scottish Parliament constituencies have an alcohol-related death rate higher than the UK average. The University of Sheffield report Model-Based Appraisal of Alcohol Minimum Pricing and Off-Licensed Trade Discount Bans in Scotland (Bib. number 49447) estimated that minimum pricing would prevent a significant number of alcohol-related deaths in the longer term.

  The Sheffield report did not assess within which population sub-groups or geographical areas these deaths may be prevented but it did indicate that minimum pricing is most effective among heavy drinkers as a general group. Our framework for action on alcohol misuse commits us to monitoring and evaluating the impact of our actions, including minimum pricing, in reducing alcohol-related harm in Scotland. An important part of this work will be to monitor the impact of our actions on different population sub-groups and on health inequalities more generally.

Alcohol Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, given that, of the 17 constituencies with a share of Scotland’s 20% most deprived data zones totalling 0.5% or less, 13 have alcohol-related death rates above the UK average, what assessment it has made of the impact that minimum pricing will have on alcohol-related deaths among the affluent population.

Shona Robison: The response to question S3W-27050 provided on 15 September 2009 indicated that of the Scottish Parliament’s 73 single member constituencies, 64 have an alcohol-related death rate higher than the UK average. The University of Sheffield report Model-Based Appraisal of Alcohol Minimum Pricing and Off-Licensed Trade Discount Bans in Scotland (Bib. number 49447) estimated that minimum pricing would prevent a significant number of alcohol-related deaths in the longer term.

  The Sheffield report did not assess within which population sub-groups or geographical areas these deaths may be prevented but it did indicate that minimum pricing is most effective among heavy drinkers as a general group. Our framework for action on alcohol misuse commits us to monitoring and evaluating the impact of our actions, including minimum pricing, in reducing alcohol-related harm in Scotland. An important part of this work will be to monitor the impact of our actions on different population sub-groups and on health inequalities more generally.

Alcohol Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, given that the Scottish Health Survey 2008 shows that weekly alcohol consumption for women is highest among those in managerial and professional households, in the highest income quintile and among those living in the least deprived areas, what assessment it has made of the impact that minimum pricing will have on alcohol-related deaths.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Health Survey 2008  records consumption in a number of ways, including usual weekly consumption and consumption on the heaviest drinking day in the previous week. It indicates that a significant proportion of women across all demographic groups are drinking in excess of recommended limits.

  The University of Sheffield report Model-Based Appraisal of Alcohol Minimum Pricing and Off-Licensed Trade Discount Bans in Scotland (Bib. number 49447) estimated that minimum pricing would prevent a significant number of alcohol-related deaths.

  The Sheffield report did not assess within which population sub-groups or geographical areas these deaths may be prevented but it did indicate that minimum pricing is most effective among heavy drinkers as a general group. Our framework for action on alcohol misuse commits us to monitoring and evaluating the impact of our actions, including minimum pricing, in reducing alcohol-related harm in Scotland. An important part of this work will be to monitor the impact of our actions on different population sub-groups and on health inequalities more generally.

Enterprise

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support exists for disabled entrepreneurs.

Jim Mather: The Business Gateway service provides a first stop access point, across all Scotland, to information and assistance on all forms of business support available for businesses and individuals who wish to start a business. These services are available to all, including disabled entrepreneurs.

  Support is also available from Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for those businesses and sectors that have growth potential and are of national and regional significance. Scottish Enterprise and HIE focus their support on the areas where they can have the most economic impact.

  Public bodies are required to assess the impact of their policies and services on different equality groups, including disabled people, and to aim to reduce or eliminate unfair impact on any particular group. The Disability Discrimination Act (2005) also requires public bodies to take steps to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.

Flood Prevention

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assumptions are made in the draft budget for local government on the funding made available to local authorities to deal with building flood defences.

Roseanna Cunningham: Funding of flood prevention and coast protection schemes has been rolled up into the General Capital Grant distributed to local authorities since 1 April 2008. The distribution of this funding took account of the then expected costs of a number of known schemes spread over the six years to 2013-14.

  Decisions on the levels of funding provided to local authorities will be taken in the next spending review. However, work undertaken jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA to review the future distribution of resources has recognised the continuing requirement to take account of contractual commitments in determining the allocation of funds. Subject to final agreement by ministers and COSLA, we expect that the distribution of General Capital Grant for 2010-11 and beyond will continue to recognise the commitment made to long-term contracts, such as those for flood prevention and coast protection schemes.

  The final decisions on how capital funds are spent rest with the local authorities based upon their assessment of local requirements and the level of funds that they can afford to allocate to them.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what constitutes an intervention in terms of the Heat target for obese children.

Shona Robison: The Child Healthy Weight Programmes Development Guidance published in April 2008 outlines what an intervention in terms of the HEAT target for obese children should consider.

  It can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/83961/0059077.pdf.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by NHS boards in developing planned preventative maintenance programmes reflecting the requirements of prevention and control of infection.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether every NHS board now has in place a programme of planned preventative maintenance reflecting the requirements of prevention and control of infection.

Nicola Sturgeon: With the exception of one NHS board, all NHS boards now have preventative maintenance programmes in place. The remaining board, NHS Forth Valley, will have its programme in place by the end of November 2009.

Justice

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what restrictions there are on people on a work placement as part of a community service order working with a commercial entity as part of that placement.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are restrictions on people on a work placement as part of a community service order working on the maintenance or improvement of private property and, if so, whether communal property not used for commercial gain would be considered to be private property in these circumstances.

Kenny MacAskill: There are no specified restrictions. However, community service schemes must ensure that work placements are not used in situations that could deprive others of paid employment.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28418 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Justice

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the standards are that are referred to in paragraph 17 of chapter 3 of National Objectives for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System: Standards - Community Service and where they are set out.

Kenny MacAskill: The standards referred to in paragraph 17 relate to the standards and obligations to be met by both the community service schemes and potential external placement providers in relation to compliance with relevant working conditions. This includes areas such as health and safety and equal opportunities. These are set out in paragraphs 18 to 25 of the National Objectives and Standards for Community Service, and are maintained in the Guidance on Community Service, which has replaced the National Objectives and Standards since 1 June 2009.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28418 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Justice

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are restrictions on how a community service scheme can meet the requirements set out in each subsection of paragraph 22 of chapter 3 of National Objectives for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System: Standards - Community Service .

Kenny MacAskill: Each scheme must meet the requirements set out in Guidance on Community Service, which has replaced the National Objectives and Standards for Community Service since 1 June 2009.

  I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-28418 on 5 November 2009 and S3W-28421 on 6 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Legal Guardianship

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are on a waiting list to obtain legal guardianship in each local authority.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average and (b) maximum wait is for legal guardianship in each local authority.

Fergus Ewing: Information in the form requested is not available. There are no waiting lists for guardianship orders under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. Guardianship applications are made to the sheriff court, and only the sheriff can grant an order. A guardianship order provides the legal authority for someone to make decisions and act on behalf of a person with impaired capacity, in order to safeguard and promote their interests in financial or welfare matters or both.

  Anyone with an interest in an adult, including a family member, can apply for a guardianship order. The Chief Social Work Officer for the adult’s local authority has a duty to apply for welfare guardianship where no one else is applying and the adult has been assessed as needing a guardian. Further information can be found on the website for the Office of the Public Guardian, including statistics on the time taken to register guardianships.

  http://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/.

  http://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/whatwedo/statistics.asp.

  If the member has a specific concern and would care to write to me, I will be happy to provide further information.

Maritime Issues

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with Scottish nautical colleges and other training establishments anent employment opportunities on board Scottish Government or publicly subsidised maritime vessels.

Fiona Hyslop: CalMac Ferries Limited and NorthLink Ferries Limited, both subsidiaries of David MacBrayne Limited, operate subsidised ferry services in Scotland on the basis of contracts awarded by the Scottish Government. The employment and training of staff is a matter for the operators, which advertise recruitment in around 15 educational establishments mainly within the communities served by the ferry services.

  This creates training opportunities for local colleges and providers in delivering the courses required before employees take up ship-board duties and in ongoing training and development. The companies themselves also run training schemes which involve the use of colleges and other training establishments. Discussions with these institutions are ongoing.

  Marine Scotland also facilitates cadet training on its vessels in conjunction with training providers. When requested Marine Scotland provides berths on its vessels to allow cadets to gain sea time and experience. This includes cadets who may have attended Glasgow College of Nautical Studies.

Mental Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many generic, as opposed to forensic, beds there are for children and adolescents with mental health problems following the opening of the new 24-bed unit in Glasgow; what its target is for bed numbers for (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; what the longer term target is for such beds, and whether the longer-term target has been agreed with the clinical practitioners in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28218 on 5 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  Officials met with child and adolescent mental health clinicians involved in providing care at the three regional inpatient units as recently as 10 September as part of the ongoing support. Bed numbers were discussed in the context of the impact that the enhanced specialist community services, when fully available, will have on reducing admissions.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the NHS Information Services Division census on delayed discharges, showing 55 delayed discharges of more than six weeks as at July 2009, what action it is taking to tackle the increase in such discharges since the census in April 2009.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the NHS Information Services Division census on delayed discharges, what action it is taking to help the 13 local authorities that, in July 2009 had, patients whose discharge was delayed for more than six weeks, to meet the target to reduce such discharges to zero.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the NHS Information Services Division census on delayed discharges, what action it is taking to help the eight NHS boards that, in July 2009 had, patients whose discharge had been delayed for more than six weeks, to meet the target to reduce such discharges to zero.

Shona Robison: My officials work closely with all local authority/NHS partnerships to reduce the level of delayed discharges in Scotland. In addition, the Joint Improvement Team is working with individual partnerships that have requested assistance. Various support tools have also been made available for partnerships to adopt.

  We are working with COSLA to jointly address any issues that arise that can impact on delayed discharge.

  Historically, delayed discharge figures rise in July. The performance in 2009 should be seen in context as there were 627 patients delayed for more than six weeks in July 2006 under the previous administration.

Noise Pollution

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many domestic noise complaints were made in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Roseanna Cunningham: The information requested is collated and published on Audit Scotland’s website   www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/performance/service/index.php?year .

  Prior to 2005, Audit Scotland did not distinguish type of noise complaint. Performance Indicators were then amended to reflect the implementation of new noise legislation. "Domestic noise" was duly defined by Audit Scotland as meaning noise to which part V of the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act, 2004 applies or would have applied, had the council resolved to apply that provision. However, such noise may be dealt with using other, pre-existing legislation.

  The following two tables provide a summary of data held by Audit Scotland, and also the Scottish Government when local authorities submitted direct statistical returns from 2005 to 2008 to comply with direct grant administration requirements prior to the single outcome agreement local authority autonomy from April 2008.

  Table 1- Summary of Audit Scotland’s Statistics for Noise Complaints from 2004-08

  

Year Ending
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008


Number of noise complaints prior to 2006, which do not distinguish source
10,323
11,537
28,217
 
 


Number of domestic noise complaints dealt with under ASBA Part V provisions
 
 
 
19,485
23,107


Number of domestic noise complaints from 2006
 
 
 
45,070
46,976



  Table 2- Summary of Scottish Government’s Air Noise and Nuisance Team’s statistics of Anti-Social Behavioural Noise complaint totals from the 25 participating Scottish local authorities:

  

Local Authority
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


Aberdeen
1,667
2,253
2,058


Angus
45
469
690


Argyll and Bute
96
176
535


Clackmannanshire/Stirling (Joint)
 
237
455


Dumfries and Galloway
687
913
642


Dundee
 
2,945
3,906


East Ayrshire
332
1,146
790


East Dunbartonshire
 
299
661


East Lothian
233
365
415


East Renfrewshire
25
148
109


Edinburgh
9,476
9,032
9,047


Falkirk
181
467
712


Fife
 
3,424
5,005


Glasgow
3,566
8,509
8,360


Inverclyde
61
132
103


Midlothian
38
81
345


North Ayrshire
395
1,270
1,087


North Lanarkshire
523
655
708


Orkney Isles
7
 
 


Perth and Kinross
 
1,219
1,795


Renfrewshire
342
338
691


South Ayrshire
113
794
1,050


South Lanarkshire
722
1,420
1,352


West Dunbartonshire
389
822
652


West Lothian
 
1,473
1,497


Totals
18,898
38,587
42,665

Osteoporosis

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that, after suffering a fragility fracture, individuals are identified and assessed for osteoporosis.

Shona Robison: There are Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guidelines on the managements of osteoporosis (71) and on the management of hip fractures in older people (111), which recommend that "patients who have suffered one or more fragility fractures should be priority targets for the investigation and treatment of osteoporosis" to prevent further fractures. Both guidelines recommend the use of DEXA scanning as a diagnostic tool, as these scans can be used to determine bone mineral density and all NHS boards have access to DEXA scanning.

  An NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) Audit published at the end of 2005 also concluded that a fracture liaison service and direct access to assessment by DEXA scanning would allow patients who have sustained a fracture to be offered and receive appropriate therapies to prevent osteoporotic fractures in future.

  The Scottish Government has issued guidance which places a duty on NHS boards and Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) to have a combined falls and bone health strategy in place. The guidance sets out specific action for both NHS boards and CHPs to progress work on falls and falls prevention. Their progress towards will be reviewed in early 2010.

  Since November 2008, an osteoporosis Directed Enhanced Service (DES) has been offered to all Scottish GP practices to ensure eligible women who have had a fragility fracture are investigated for possible osteoporosis. Practices are rewarded for reaching benchmark target levels of achievement for referral for a DEXA scan and for offering bone sparing treatment for eligible women. The DES will run until 31 March 2010.

Prescriptions

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for (a) sibutramine and (b) orlisat have been dispensed to individuals aged (i) under 16, (ii) 16 to 18 and (iii) over 18 in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The following tables show the total number of prescribed items for orlistat and sibutramine dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors in NHS board areas for the past five years ending 31 March. These data exclude the direct supply of medicines to patients from hospitals or hospital-based clinics.

  The data shown relate to items dispensed to patients aged under 16 years and all other patients. These data are not patient-specific and cannot be used as a proxy for the number of patients receiving treatment with a particular medicine.

  It is not possible to identify from the information collected centrally medicines dispensed to all patients aged 16 to 18 years. It is also important to note that the data relating to patients aged under 16 years rely solely on the patient or their representative ticking the correct exemption category box on the back of the prescription form. These data cannot be validated as part of the prescription pricing process.

  

ORLISTAT
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


NHS Board
Under 16
16 and Over
Under 16
16 and Over
Under 16
16 and Over


Ayrshire and Arran
11
5,639
8
6,641
15
6,984


Borders
*
489
*
559
*
628


Dumfries and Galloway
9
2,089
*
2,462
5
2,875


Fife
7
2,794
*
3,726
13
4,219


Forth Valley
9
2,314
14
2,827
11
3,744


Grampian
20
4,679
18
6,579
29
7,305


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
84
18,950
44
20,327
61
22,332


Highland
10
2,983
8
3,578
12
4,163


Lanarkshire
33
8,694
22
9,473
49
10,607


Lothian
15
2,991
10
4,859
15
7,324


Tayside
*
2,515
6
3,446
14
3,778


Island Boards
0
484
0
692
*
843


Scotland
205
54,621
138
65,169
230
74,802



  

ORLISTAT
2007-08
2008-09


NHS Board
Under 16
16 and Over
Under 16
16 and Over


Ayrshire and Arran
*
7,094
7
7,047


Borders
0
760
0
876


Dumfries and Galloway
0
3,127
7
3,420


Fife
*
4,375
*
4,897


Forth Valley
9
4,726
*
4,892


Grampian
10
7,732
6
7,863


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
31
20,427
19
19,431


Highland
13
4,673
*
4,535


Lanarkshire
35
10,129
15
10,664


Lothian
18
8,748
10
9,847


Tayside
*
3,584
5
3,590


Island Boards
*
813
*
990


Scotland
125
76,188
80
78,052



  

SIBUTRAMINE
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


NHS Board
Under 16
16 and Over
Under 16
16 and Over
Under 16
16 and Over


Ayrshire and Arran
7
1,657
*
1,561
*
1,535


Borders
0
232
0
179
0
187


Dumfries and Galloway
*
516
0
559
*
665


Fife
15
2,428
*
2,718
8
2,763


Forth Valley
*
1,413
*
1,623
*
1,619


Grampian
19
2,755
28
2,811
22
3,211


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
44
7,020
19
7,302
17
7,883


Highland
7
1,518
*
2,008
*
2,274


Lanarkshire
13
2,774
*
3,140
11
3,571


Lothian
*
720
0
838
*
1,113


Tayside
*
1,135
*
1,234
*
1,366


Island Boards
0
568
*
518
6
603


Scotland
118
22,736
67
24,491
79
26,790



  

SIBUTRAMINE
2007-08
2008-09


NHS Board
Under 16
16 and Over
Under 16
16 and Over


Ayrshire and Arran
*
1,756
*
2,202


Borders
0
158
0
266


Dumfries and Galloway
*
757
0
944


Fife
13
3,043
7
3,436


Forth Valley
*
1,793
*
2,057


Grampian
14
3,463
7
4,178


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
13
7,563
*
7,449


Highland
*
2,080
*
2,153


Lanarkshire
7
3,845
*
4,758


Lothian
*
1,376
*
1,911


Tayside
*
1,705
*
1,956


Island Boards
0
455
0
539


Scotland
62
27,994
31
31,849



  Notes:

  1. *Indicates values that have been suppressed due to the potential risk of disclosure of individuals. However, Scotland total includes the suppressed values.

  2. To minimise the risk of disclosure of individuals, figures for NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles have been added together.

  3. The information in the table has been provided by NHS National Services Scotland.

Public Sector

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what public sector relocation opportunities it has assessed in the last two years; what decisions were reached, and for what reasons.

John Swinney: In 2008, the Scottish Government announced its approach to considering the effective management of property assets and the location of public bodies. This approach puts decisions about the location of public bodies in the context of the need to seek maximum efficiency from the use of the existing public sector estate, ensuring the operational effectiveness of individual organisations and obtaining the best value for money for the overall Scottish Government.

  In considering the accommodation requirements of relevant public bodies, an analysis is undertaken of the business needs of the organisation to review its business functions, how these are delivered and to what extent any of them are location dependent. That process allows identification of the most efficient options for accommodating the body in question, including consideration of location.

  In the last two years, four organisations have been considered. These were the Mental Welfare Commission, Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland, the Standards Commission and the Chief Investigating Officer. This has resulted in all four organisations satisfying the requirements of the asset management policy on relocation.

Public Sector Buildings

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) vacant and (b) underused buildings it and its agencies own.

John Swinney: There are presently two core Scottish Government office buildings that are vacant. Action is currently in hand with a view to their disposal. In terms of underused buildings, we are working to ensure that all parts of the Scottish Government have in place asset management plans which will identify any spare accommodation capacity which offer rationalisation and consolidation opportunities.

Public Sector Staff

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the salary for the chief executive of Scottish Enterprise has remained the same despite a 40% reduction in the size of its operation.

Jim Mather: The remuneration package was set at the beginning of the recruitment process by Scottish Enterprise in consultation with Scottish ministers. The package was established in line with the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy for Senior Appointments.

  I have asked chairs of public bodies covered by the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy for Senior Appointments to invite chief executives to consider, in light of the current economic climate, waiving, on a voluntary basis, some or all of any bonus that may be due to them.

  The remuneration package took into account a Hay Group job size evaluation report completed in October 2008. This independent, market-facing review considered the chief executive role as it is now, after the implementation of the enterprise network reforms announced in September 2007.

Public Sector Staff

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector staff work in (a) Central Scotland, (b) Glasgow, (c) Highlands and Islands, (d) Lothians, (e) Mid Scotland and Fife, (f) North East Scotland, (g) South of Scotland and (h) West of Scotland.

John Swinney: The official public sector employment series is only available at Scotland level. An alternative source is the Annual Population Survey (APS), however there are some quality issues with the data. The APS is a household survey and individuals self-classify whether they work in the public or private sector. As a result, the APS over estimates the number of public sector workers because some respondents unknowingly report themselves as working in the public sector when in fact they work in the private sector according to National Accounts definitions. The latest APS data over estimates total public sector employment by around 14% and this may vary across local authorities.

  The table below provides estimates from the latest APS showing how many employees respond that they work in the public sector by local authority. The information is not available for Scottish Parliamentary regions.

  Public Sector Employment by Local Authority, April 2008 to March 2009

  

 
Number of Public Sector Workers
% of Total Employment


Aberdeen City
23,000
21.7%


Aberdeenshire
24,700
22.7%


Angus
14,300
30.7%


Argyll and Bute
13,700
38.7%


Clackmannanshire
15,700
34.4%


Dumfries and Galloway
6,000
29.4%


Dundee City
13,000
33.7%


East Ayrshire
17,400
30.8%


East Dunbartonshire
20,200
34.5%


East Lothian
14,800
30.6%


East Renfrewshire
16,000
36.1%


Edinburgh, City of
13,000
32.4%


Eilean Siar 
13,600
36.3%


Falkirk
54,500
24.3%


Fife
19,900
29.0%


Glasgow City
48,600
29.5%


Highland
67,900
29.2%


Inverclyde
35,000
36.5%


Midlothian
11,200
32.6%


Moray
11,500
32.3%


North Ayrshire
12,100
31.0%


North Lanarkshire
15,600
28.8%


Orkney Islands
39,100
28.6%


Perth and Kinross
3,700
41.0%


Renfrewshire
17,400
29.2%


Scottish Borders
22,900
29.9%


Shetland Islands
5,100
50.4%


South Ayrshire
13,500
30.5%


South Lanarkshire
41,000
29.8%


Stirling
11,600
31.0%


West Dunbartonshire
22,400
28.2%


West Lothian
5,400
49.0%


Scotland
663,800
29.7%



  Source: Annual Population Survey, April 2008 to March 2009.

Public Sector Staff

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector staff, excluding local authority staff, work in each local authority area.

John Swinney: The official public sector employment series is only available at Scotland level. An alternative source is the Annual Population Survey (APS), however there are some quality issues with the data. The APS is a household survey and individuals self-classify whether they work in the public or private sector. As a result, the APS over estimates the number of public sector workers because some respondents unknowingly report themselves as working in the public sector when in fact they work in the private sector according to National Accounts definitions. The latest APS data over estimates total public sector employment by around 14% and this may vary across local authorities.

  The table below provides estimates from the latest APS showing how many employees respond that they work in the public sector, excluding local authority staff, in each local authority.

  Public sector employment by local authority, April 2008 to March 2009, excluding staff in local government or councils (including police, fire services and local authority controlled schools or colleges):

  

 
Number of public Sector Workers
% of Total Employment


Aberdeen City
10,500
9.9%


Aberdeenshire
7,900
7.2%


Angus
5,600
12.1%


Argyll and Bute
6,000
16.9%


Clackmannanshire
7,500
16.5%


Dumfries and Galloway
1,600
7.8%


Dundee City
5,500
14.1%


East Ayrshire
7,000
12.4%


East Dunbartonshire
9,700
16.6%


East Lothian
6,300
13.0%


East Renfrewshire
6,800
15.3%


Edinburgh, City of
5,800
14.4%


Eilean Siar 
5,000
13.4%


Falkirk
28,100
12.5%


Fife
9,000
13.1%


Glasgow City
20,000
12.1%


Highland
30,800
13.3%


Inverclyde
16,300
16.9%


Midlothian
4,700
13.8%


Moray
5,500
15.4%


North Ayrshire
5,600
14.2%


North Lanarkshire
6,000
11.1%


Orkney Islands
*
*


Perth and Kinross
700
7.7%


Renfrewshire
8,300
13.9%


Scottish Borders
10,000
13.0%


Shetland Islands
*
*


South Ayrshire
6,200
13.9%


South Lanarkshire
18,500
13.4%


Stirling
4,800
12.9%


West Dunbartonshire
10,700
13.4%


West Lothian
1,600
14.8%


Scotland
289,000
12.9%



  Source: Annual Population Survey, April 2008 to March 2009.

  Note: *Data suppressed as estimate below reliability threshold.

Renewable Energy

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any legal advice it received in relation to the decision to reopen the public local inquiry into the Fallago Rig wind farm.

Jim Mather: Following requests under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act all legal advice received in relation to the reopening of the inquiry has been made available, subject to Freedom of Information legislation.

Renewable Energy

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the reopened public local inquiry into the Fallago Rig wind farm will commence.

Jim Mather: The Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals are currently making arrangements with the main parties, namely North British Windpower, the Ministry of Defence and those third parties who have indicated that they wish to participate, in order to agree suitable dates to hold the reopened inquiry. It is expected that the inquiry will reopen in early 2010.

Renewable Energy

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive who will be invited to give evidence to the reopened public local inquiry into the Fallago Rig wind farm.

Jim Mather: Some 800 people who either participated in, or had an interest in the original inquiry (meaning had either taken part in the original inquiry or sent a letter of representation in regard to the original application/inquiry) were contacted and offered the opportunity to give evidence at the reopened inquiry. The deadline for response was 30 October 2009. The parties who will take part are: Emma Dewar, Burness LLP on behalf of North British Windpower; Douglas Milne, Morton Fraser Solicitors on behalf of the Ministry of Defence; David Lochhead, Chairman of Cranshaws, Ellemford and Longformacus Community Council; Ian Kelly, Graham and Sibbald and John Campbell QC, Oracle Chambers on behalf of Black Mountain Farms Ltd and Cranshaws Ltd (for Mayshiel and Cranshaws Estates), Northumberland Estates Ltd (for Burncastle Estate), Moorfoot Capital Management Ltd (for Horseupcleugh Estate), Faccombe Estates Ltd (for Hopes and Tolles Estates Ltd), Lauderdale Estates Ltd (for Lauderdale Estate) and The Lammermuir Protection Group (for affected individuals).

Respite Care

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it achieved its aim of providing 2,000 extra weeks of respite care in 2008-09.

Shona Robison: This information is drawn from the Statutory Performance Indicators (SPIs) on respite collected by Audit Scotland. It is necessary in the first instance for Audit Scotland to be satisfied with the technical aspects of the data. The Scottish Government must also carefully analyse the data. I plan to publish the Scotland-wide data as soon as it has undergone the necessary checks.

Scottish Ministerial Code

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27403 by Kenny MacAskill on 24 September 2009, whether the Scottish Ministerial Code precludes ministers from detailing the cost of any legal advice sought since May 2007 and, if not, whether it will provide that information.

The Executive has supplied the following corrected answer:

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Ministerial Code does not preclude ministers from detailing the cost of any legal advice sought since May 2007. Since that date the Scottish Government and its agencies have spent the following sums on legal representation and advice:

  

 
Counsel’s Fees
Work outsourced to external legal firms*
Running costs of internal legal offices (the Scottish Government Legal Directorate, the Office of Scottish Parliamentary Counsel and the Legal Secretariat to the Lord Advocate)


1 May 2007 to 31 March 2008
£688,636
£1,874,959
£8,245,417


1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009
£765,656
£4,078,303
£9,207,000


1 April 2009 to 30 September 2009
£234,272
£2,479,168
£4,643,500


Total
£1,688,564
£8,432,430
£22,095,917



  Note: *This figure includes the cost of services provided by these firms to the Advocate General for Scotland who also makes use of the Scottish Government’s framework contract for procuring legal services.

Waste Management

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been involved in or had input into any recent stakeholder meetings organised by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss and promote solutions to dealing with construction waste containing special or hazardous materials such as plastic foam insulation containing ozone-depleting substances from steel-clad buildings.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government continues to work with the UK Government, SEPA, industry and other stakeholders to assess methods for recovery and/or disposal of materials containing ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) from buildings that are being demolished. Officials have attended two stakeholder events this year at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and continue to have input to developing legislation relating to ODSs.

Correction

The reply to question S3W-27915 which was originally answered on 29 October 2009, has been corrected: see page 7787 or http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-09/wa1106.htm.